Hertfordshire police and crime commissioner David Lloyd has spearheaded a campaign over the past year calling for the county’s only prison – The Mount in Bovingdon – to be used to hold Hertfordshire prisoners under the Government’s Transforming Rehabillitation programme. The plan aims to rehabilitate prisoners closer to where they live.

The Mount had been earmarked as a resettlement jail for prisoners from London, while prisoners from Hertfordshire would have been placed in a jail in Suffolk.

Commissioner Lloyd lobbied the Ministry of Justice to secure The Mount for Hertfordshire, which has proved successful.

Local agencies that deal with offenders in this county will have improved access to Hertfordshire prisoners before their release date so their move from jail to the outside world can be better planned and supported.

Commissioner Lloyd said: “This is an excellent result for Hertfordshire. Getting prison leavers properly reintegrated back into the community is the best thing that can be done to stop them offending again.

“Housing, education, work and strong community ties are paramount as they can help steer ex-offenders away from a life of crime. Meanwhile, the authorities will also be better able to keep tabs on those prison leavers who are determined to go back to criminality.”

Steven Bradford, governor at The Mount, said: “In future, the prison will be able to better protect the local population in Hertfordshire from reoffending by former prisoners, by properly preparing them before their release into the community.”